Cognitive deficits due to thermal stress: An exploratory study on soldiers in deserts
Journal Title: Medical Journal Armed Forces - Year 2017, Vol 73, Issue 4
Abstract
Background: It is well known that environmental factors play an important role in human performance. High temperature and humidity particularly impair mental performance by altering brain neurochemistry and electrolyte disturbance which in turn affect one's overall efficiency. While the physiological responses to environmental heat have been well established, it is less clear about its impact on cognition. Study aims to investigate the impact of thermal strain on cognition. Methods: One hundred (100) healthy soldiers aged between 20 and 30 years who had spent minimum of one year in desert conditions prior to their induction in the study formed sample of the study. The subjects were evaluated on memory and on cognitive functions twice i.e. in the month of February and June. The data so generated was analyzed by appropriate statistical methods. Results: The mean age of the subjects were 25.8 yrs. There was a significant decline in cognitive performance in hot climate as compared to normal weather on Post graduate Institute (PGI) memory scale (P < 0.05). The effect was more marked for tests requiring sustained attention, concentration, psychomotor performance, verbal memory and tests of executive function. Conclusion: The present study is the first study to be conducted in actual desert conditions. Findings revealed a detrimental impact of thermal stress on the cognitive performance of soldiers in deserts.
Authors and Affiliations
Rajiv Saini
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP615342
- DOI 10.1016/j.mjafi.2017.07.011
- Views 69
- Downloads 0
Intracranial hypotension: An uncommon entity with common presentation
Headache disorders are among the most common presenting complaints in any neurology outpatient department. International Headache Society classifies headaches as ‘‘primary’’ or ‘‘secondary’’. The causes of secondary head...
Communicable diseases viewed as collateral damage: Role of primary prevention in their prevention and control
Communicable disease incidence may be seen as ‘collateral damage’ of our choices or compulsions, whether it is our behavior, religious or ethnic group we belong to, occupation we indulge in, geographical area we live in...
Pericardial tamponade: Rare complication of subclavian vein cannulation
Most commonly reported complications during central venous catheter (CVC) insertion are cardiac arrhythmias and conduction blocks.1–3 Others include looping, knotting, fragmentation, embolization and rarely, intravascula...
Idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia presenting with progressive disseminated histoplasmosis
Idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia (ICL) is a rare syndrome with low CD4 count without evidence of HIV infection or other known causes of immunodeficiency as its essential element. As per the Center for disease control (CDC)...
A case of spermatocytic seminoma in young individual
Testicular tumors are relatively uncommon and accounts for only 1–2% of all tumors in men. Spermatocytic seminoma (SS), a special form of seminoma, is a rare entity and constitutes only 2% of all seminomas.1 Less than 40...